Automatic coffee percolator



1934- R. c. SAWYER AUTOMATIC COFFEE PERCOLATOR Filed April 2, 1931INVENTO ATTORNEYS Patented flats 3 i934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAUTQMATIG CQFFEE PERCGLATQE,

.Ren l7. Sawyer, Stratrcrel, Conn, assigslor to Bridgeport BrasQolnpany, Bridgeport, @cnn.

a corporation oi Connecticut zlpplicaticn April 2, 3931, Serial No.seams 1i) whim (@i, 21H3) I My invention relates to improvements in se-Figure 5 is a vertical cross section taken S131) vices for heatingliquids, such as coffee percolastahtia ly on line 5-45 of Figure 4illustrating oer tors and the like. In such devices which op= detailsor" construction. erated by an electric heating element, it is quiteReferring to the drawing, the numeral 1 til cult also inconve ient toproperl" regaldesignates the case or body of thefpercolator es so c thetime oi the percolating action the a whole having the base portion 2which'is separesult that thecofiee or other liquidbelng cooked rated bythepartition 3 from the body oi the has not been heated sufficiently orhas remained percolator. This partition 3 is adapted to receive at amaximum temperature too long to obtain the a standard form or? electricheating element, a best results. provided in a hoodor cage to the top ofwhich g5 My invention conlprehends the provision oi? auis secured thepercolating tube 6 whereby liquid tomatic means for opening the electriccircuit within the body ofthe percolator is heated and through theheating element after the liquid has forced upwardly thl'oughthe tube 6,opening I remained at edetermined maximum temperabeing provided "inthe.side-otthe hood 5 near the l; ture for a in length or" time so as toinsure bottom to permit circulation of the liquid. m proper and completecooking and prevent over The heating element a is connected by meanscooking or boiling. This result is accomplished of suitable wires 8 toterminals 9 of a toggle generally by means of an expansible and (3011-switch 10, this switch may be constructed in. varitractiblebellowsforming part of a hollow assemous ways, one being shown in detail in thedraws filled with an xpansible fluid subject ing. It includes thecontact member 11 on the 3g within the apparatus end or" a switch arm 12which has a slidable and so w en the liquid has maintained apredepivotal connection 13 with the end of the actuatterminedtemperature for a certain period of time, ing lever 14. This actuatinglever 14 is pivoted the bellows will have expanded a sufficient distothe casing as at 15 and provided with the optance to more a lever memberand other coopercrating button or head 16. A spring 17 is posi- 89 atingparts to actuate the switch controlling the tioned around the switch arm12 so as tocause electric circuit to its oi-T position. Of course, it asnapping action when the parts break contact. it is desired to reheatthe contents of the device, It is seen that when the button or head 16is aswitch is manually moved to its on position. moved upwardly thecontact member l1 is so To the accomplishment of the foregoing andsnapped upwardly into contact'with the switch such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, blades 18 to close the circuit through the heatthisinvention consists in the construction, com-1 lng element 4. binationand arrangement of parts hereinalter The principal feature of myinvention is'the described and then sought to be defined in theprovision of thermal control means for actuating 35 app ded claims,reference being had to the at:- the switch from its on position to itsoff 99 mpa yine draw f i a pa t hereof and position after the coffee orother liquid in the which w merely forthe P p of illustrapercolator hasattained a predetermined temtive disclosure, 3" preferred embOdlment Ofmy perature and remained at invention, i being expressly understwd, adefinite length of time. room end the actui h Various changes may in eq-'ating arm 14 of the switch is connected by means -95 tlce with n thescopeotjt e 61%11115 Wlthout of an actuating link .19 to the actuatinglever ii $32 553 mVe-nt1ve.1dea' member '20. This lever member ispreferably I formed with two spaced parallel arms 21 which Figure 3.represents a vertlcal cross section are pivoted as at 22 to Suitablesupports or brack i5 through the lower portion'of a codec percolator m.

7 ets or cars 23 depending from the toggle switch Constructed to embodymy the parts casing 10 and the rear end of the lever member n n O I 23 32222 fg f fi gf fi f i f gg 20 is provided Wlfll the platform 24 whichis being shown in th fi or n n-heafing position; slotted as at 25 to slldabl y recelve the reduced so Figure 3 i botto 13 View of t device end26 of the actuatlng llnk l9. This reduced shown in Figures 1 and 2 toillustrate details or end provldes shoulders whlch abut the p attheconnections between the thermostatic device form 24 and are adaptedltoform an operatlve and the toggle switch for operating the same;connection between the link 19 and the lever Figure 4 is a verticalcross section through one member 20 so that when the swltch arm 14 1sform of toggle switch; and i moved down the lever member 20 W11]. bemoved no and when the lever member 20 is moved upwardly the switch arm1e will be moved.

This lever member 20 is in turn in operative connection with the thermalcontrol and operating member which is designated generally by thenumeral 28,- the lever member 20 being pivotally connected as at 29 tothe lower end of the same. This thermal control member 28 includes theexpansible and contractible bellows member 30 to the top of which issecured an elongated'tubc 31 having its upper end closed. This tube hasa fluid tight connection with the partition 3 and.

the upper portion of the tube is positioned within the body 1 of thepercolator so as to be in contact with the liquid contained therein. Thebellows member 30 is positioned inthe base 2 of the device and beneaththe case or body 1 and is, therefore, not in direct contact with theliquid in the case or body 1. Some time will be consumedin transferringheat from tube 31 to bellows member 30 in order to expand the bellowsmember to operate the switch. This time interval is one of the factorswhich govern the time period of cooking or boiling. The bellows member30 is provided with a head element 32 at its lower end to receive thepivot member 29 for connecting the lever member 20 thereto.

The bellows 30 and the tube 31 comprise a closed assembly which ischarged either with a liquid which will vaporize at the operatingtemperature or is completely filled with a l quid which will. expandwhen raised through the temperatures involved. It is necessary inworking out the operation of this device to charge this assembly so thatthe temperature of the liquid in the percolator will remain in a fairlynarrow.

range for eight or nine minutes before the bellows is expandedsufllciently to move the lever member 20 to throw the toggle switch toits off position. This can be readily accomplished by choosing a fluidhaving certain characteristics or regulating the quantity thereof toproduce the desired results. Also, time is required to transfer heatfrom tube 31 to bellows 30 and the structure may be arranged so as toobtain a cooking or boil ng temperature over any desired period beforethe circuit is opened.

The bellows member 30 being located externally of the case or body 1,heat is dissipated from the bellows and, therefore, operating conditionsaid the result since the radiation loss is high and this radiation lossbecomes greater as the temperature of the liquid within the percolatorincreases.

The operation of the device is simple and easily understood. In the formof toggle switch shown, a movement of the button or head 16 upwardlythrows the switch to on position causing current to iiow through theheating element to heat the liquid within the percolator. In theconstruction shown, the movement of the switch arm 14 causes the levermember. 20 to compress the bellows to a limited extent. As thetemperature of the liquid in the percolator rises, the liquid within thebellows 30 and tube 31 either vaporizes or expands gradually depressingthe lever member 20 and eventually moving the operating link 19sufilciently to snap the switch to oil or open position.

This device is composed of a minimum number o parts, easy to manufactureand assemble and is accurately responsive to the desired thermalregulation.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described, including, a casing adapted tocontain liquid and hav ing an electric heating element therein, a switchfor controlling the passage of electric current through said heatingelement, a bellows member positioned adjacent said casing, pivoted levermeans adapted to abut said bellows member and a link member associatedwith said switch adapted to abut another portion of said lever means,said link member being provided with shoulders which are adapted toengage said lever means, whereby movement of said bellows memberwillcause said lever means to operate said switch to cut off the electriccurrent after a predetermined heating.

2. A device of the character described, including, a casing adapted tocontain liquid and having an electric heating element therein, a switchfor controlling the passage of electric current through said heatingelement, a bellows member positioned adjacent said casing, pivoted levermeans adapted to abut said bellows member and a link member associatedwith said switch adapted to abut another part of said lever means,

said link member having a reduced end portion so as to provideshoulders, said lever means being provided with a platform having anaperture to receive said reduced end portion of the link, the shouldersbeing adapted to abut the platform adjacent said aperture, wherebymovement of said bellows member will cause said lever means and link tooperate said switch to cut off the electric current after apredetermined heating.

3. A device of the character described, including, a casing adapted tocontain liquid and having an electric heating element therein, a switchfor controlling thepassage of electric current through saidheating-element, a switch casing for said switch, a leveFpivoted to saidswitch casing, means connecting said switch to one end of said lever, abellows member attached to said casing and associated with the other endof said lever, whereby movement of said bellows'in one direction willactuate said lever and cause said switch to open.

4. A device of the character described, including, a. receptacle, a'partition therein forming a body adapted to contain liquid and a basemember, an electric heating element on said partition in said body, abellows member positioned beneath said partitionand provided withtubular means extending through said partition into said body, a switchmember for controlling the passage or electric current through saidheating element, a lever means for connecting said bellows member andsaid switch, whereby movements of said bellows member are transferred tosaid switch member to operate the same.

5. A device of the character described, including, a receptacle, apartition therein forming a body adapted to contain liquid and a basemember, an electric heating element on said partition in saidreceptacle, '9, bellows member positioned beneath said partition andprovided with tubular means extending through said partition into saidbody, a switch member for controlling the passage of electric currentthrough said heating element, a lever means for connecting said bellowsmember and said switch, said lever means including a link connected tosaid switch, whereby movements of said bellows member are transferred tosaid lever means and the link to operate the said switch. v

6. A device of the character described, including, a casing adapted tocontain liquid and having an electric heating element therein, a switchfor casing and associated with said bellows member for transferring heatfrom said casing to said bellows member, pivoted lever means adapted toabut said bellows member, and a link member associated with said switchadapted to abut another part of said lever means, whereby movement orsaid bellows member will cause said lever means to operate said switchto cut of! an electric current after a predetermined heating.

7. A device of the character described, includ ing, a casing adapted tocontain liquid and having an electric heating element therein, a switchfor controlling the passage of current through said electric heatingelement, a pivoted lever in said casing, an actuating link connected tosaid I switch and adapted to abut said lever near one end thereof, abellows member attached to said casing and provided with meansprojecting into said casing, said bellows member being pivotallyconnected to said lever, and said means projecting adapted to containliquid and having an electric heating element therein, switch means forcontrolling the passage 0! current through said heating element, anexpansible and contractible awaits member positioned adjacent saidcasing but not in contact with the liquid in said casing, saidexpansible and ccntractible member being provided with means projectinginto said casing and in contact with the liquid in said casing which isto be heated, lever means between said expansible and contractiblemember and said switch means for operating said switch means by saidexpansible and contractible member.

9. A, device or the character described, which includes, a casingadapted to contain liquid and having an electric heating elementtherein,- a switch for controlling the passage 0! current through saidelectric heating element, a pivoted lever in said casing, a bellowsmember attached to said casing and being connected to said lever, anactuating link associated withsaid switch and having a loose connectionwith said lever so that said lever actuates said link in one directiononly.

10. A device 01' the character described, which -includes, a casingadapted to contain liquid to be heated, said casing having an electricheating element therein, a switch for controlling the passage ofelectric current through said electric heating element, a lever in saidcasing pivoted intermediate its ends, a bellows member attached to saidcasing and being connected to one end 01' said --lever, an actuatinglink associated with said switch and having a loose connection with theother end of said lever whereby said lever actuates said link in onedirection only to open said switch alter a predetermined heating period.

0. SAWYER.

